प्रेम न बड़ी ऊपजै , प्रेम न हाट बिकाय। राजा-प्रजा जोहि रुचें , शीश देई ले जाय॥
— Kabir
Meaning

Love cannot be cultivated, nor can it be bought in the market. For the king and the people, whoever desires it, may take it by offering their head.

Explanation

When Kabir speaks of love not being cultivated or sold, he is making a profound point about its spiritual nature. He suggests that true love is not a commodity; it cannot be bought in the marketplace or grown through effort. The couplet emphasizes that for anyone, whether a king or a common person, who desires this pure emotion, the price of admission is total surrender—the giving of their head. It speaks to the absolute, unmarketable devotion required for genuine love.

Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.

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